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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26522533">Beta Love</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/jazzaiko/pseuds/jazzaiko'>jazzaiko</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>EXO (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alpha Byun Baekhyun, Alpha Kim Minseok | Xiumin, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - College/University, Beta Do Kyungsoo | D.O, Beta Kim Jongdae | Chen, Beta/Beta, Finding Love, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting to Know Each Other, M/M, Minor Byun Baekhyun/Park Chanyeol, Minor Kim Junmyeon | Suho/Kim Minseok | Xiumin, Neighbors, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Omega Kim Junmyeon | Suho, Short &amp; Sweet</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 04:34:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,621</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26522533</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/jazzaiko/pseuds/jazzaiko</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Is love a hormonal thing?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Do Kyungsoo | D.O/Kim Jongdae | Chen, Minor or Background Relationship(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>69</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Lil' Something Fest 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Beta Love</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Happy birthday Jongdae! This is for you 🥰</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>People talk about the alphas – how mighty they are, strong, radiating charisma and power. About their ruts and those coveted knots that will make omegas go crazy.</p><p>People talk about the omegas – the caregiver, and bearer of pups. About their softness, sweet scent, heat cycles, slick and such.</p><p>But people don't really talk about the last one – the betas. Maybe because betas don't have knots or produce slicks, they don't get into ruts or heats, maybe because they aren’t as interesting. They don’t seem like they’re wolves even when they can shift into a wolf.</p><p>One of those betas is Jongdae. </p><p>As a beta, his life is pretty nice and stable, content, free from worrying about the ridiculous cycles. There's no need to count dates, to take pheromone suppressants, or birth control. He can still smell each person's unique scent (yes, some people do smell great) yet he isn’t very affected. Most of the time, he can prevent himself from hornily slamming into anyone or pathetically falling to his knees with his neck bared waiting to be claimed. Unless there is an unusually strong alpha around. </p><p>He also has more freedom to choose his roommates in the school dorm. Alphas and omegas are naturally living on separate floors to prevent accidents. But since one room is for two students, usually the rooming arrangement is either both alphas, both omegas, both betas, alpha-beta, or beta-omega. Betas technically can still impregnate omegas, but since omega pheromones don't affect them that much compared to alphas, it is a lot safer.</p><p>Jongdae considers himself lucky because he can't imagine having a feverish temperature for the entire week and wetting himself crazy during heats. He has heard plenty of complaints from Junmyeon, his older brother. Like a good little brother, Jongdae has taken care of Junmyeon during his heat – washing his sheets, making sure Junmyeon is well-hydrated and well-fed, also accompanying him for a birth control visit once. That was before Junmyeon started dating Jongdae's roommate and upperclassman Minseok. </p><p>Jongdae also can't imagine himself going nuts in times of rut. He has seen Minseok, who is an alpha. He may be cool and charismatic and all… but his raging hormones, during rut, can really affect his emotions.</p><p>Although Jongdae has been living among alphas and omegas since birth, as a beta sometimes it can be overwhelming. He is not entitled to the special student leaves that alphas and omegas get during their ruts or heat period. He has been shoved into additional shifts in his part-time job in a cafe nearby campus because one of the staff gets into a rut or heat.</p><p>Living among alphas and omegas also got Jongdae into awkward situations. There is this one time when Jongdae opened the door to their dorm room only to find Minseok banging Junmyeon on his bed… which is then followed by swearing and door slamming. Apparently, during that time, Minseok is in a rut. Despite Minseok and Junmyeon's streams of apology, the image still scarred Jongdae. </p><p>After that incident, Jongdae always asks when Minseok's rut will come… which is happening this week. </p><p>Jongdae won't be able to study or sleep in peace if he stays in his shared room. Junmyeon would do things to ease Minseok’s rut and Jongdae absolutely doesn’t want to be there to see it. Not to mention the room will be heady of Minseok’s mint and coffee-like scent. </p><p>So he knocks on his neighbor’s door. The door opens, revealing a sleepy face framed by glasses. </p><p>"Kyungsoo-ya!" Jongdae greets. "Sorry about this, but can I crash in your room this week? Minseok-hyung is in a rut." </p><p>"Oh, sure." Kyungsoo smiles lightly and opens the door wider, letting Jongdae into his room. </p><p>"Aww, you are a savior."</p><p>Jongdae happily enters the neat room, dragging his bag of clothes and books. He inhales the familiar scent of earth and sandalwood – Kyungsoo's scent. There is also a hint of strawberry and cinnamon scent of Baekhyun's, but the person is nowhere to be seen. Jongdae asks, "Where's Baekhyunnie? Hope I don't trouble you two." </p><p>"You don't, don't worry. Baekhyun is with Chanyeol at the moment, taking care of him. You know how clingy Chanyeol in heat can be, especially now they have mated." </p><p>"I see. Seems we are left behind by our roommates eh?"</p><p>Jongdae grins. Kyungsoo chuckles. </p><p>Living with Kyungsoo isn't that much different from Minseok. Both values cleanliness and tidiness. Both are relatively quiet and not so chatty people, so Jongdae can do his homework and study in peace. It's nice that Kyungsoo is a foodie. He has a delicious food stash in the room that he willingly shares with Jongdae as night snacks. </p><p>One night, Jongdae keeps tossing and turning on Baekhyun’s bed. He has slept over in Kyungsoo-Baekhyun’s room several times before, but for some reason, he can’t sleep that night. Something is weighing his mind. </p><p>He turns around, looking at the other single bed. “Kyungsoo-ya, are you asleep?” </p><p>Kyungsoo hums in response. “What is it, Dae?”</p><p>There is something Jongdae has discussed with Minseok and Junmyeon, but they don’t really seem to get his concern. Since Kyungsoo is also a beta, maybe he can understand and offer his perspective. </p><p>Jongdae lets it out. “Have you ever thought about mating? Or relationships in general?” </p><p>There is silence afterward. Jongdae can hear Kyungsoo shift under his blanket before he replies, “Why makes you think about that all of a sudden?” </p><p>Jongdae is reminded of Minseok – how sweetly he treats and supports Junmyeon, who often stresses himself out with his numerous responsibilities. He has seen Chanyeol and Baekhyun cutely going out for dates, taking care of one another. The heart eyes, the small intimate touches, the affection... somehow Jongdae wants them too. </p><p>“You know, our friends – heck, our own roommates and my brother – are already in a relationship or even mated. But all the couples I know are usually alpha-omega,” Jongdae rambles while blankly staring at the ceiling. </p><p>“Okay, then?” </p><p>Jongdae sighs. “I don’t know how it works for betas. How can we eventually find our mates.”</p><p>Naturally, alphas are greatly affected by omega’s pheromone and the other way around, attracting each other. In addition to that, ruts and heats amplify their hormones and desires, which later create an attachment between the two. Meanwhile, betas don’t feel things as strongly. It makes Jongdae wonder if love and attraction are a hormonal thing – and if it’s possible for him to get a mate, like his brother and friends. </p><p>The silence that follows after is thick with tension. And it is suffocating. </p><p>Jongdae almost thinks that Kyungsoo is already asleep when suddenly the other replies, “Well, I believe every wolf has a mate. There must be something for us betas too.” </p><p>The affirmation makes Jongdae feel a little bit more at ease. </p><p>“Thank you, Kyungsoo-ya.” </p><p> </p><p>阝</p><p> </p><p>Since then, Jongdae tries not to think too hard about mates and such. He attends classes, joins his club activities, hangs out with his friends as usual. </p><p>Something changes though. </p><p>Jongdae finds himself spending more time with Kyungsoo. He doesn’t really know how it started. Probably it is because of Minseok’s rut. Or probably because Baekhyun is in a rut some time after, forcing Kyungsoo to stay with Jongdae. Probably it’s because they live so close, it’s so easy for them to gravitate towards each other. </p><p>Or probably because it feels comfortable. </p><p>They have been checking out cafes and dining places Kyungsoo found on the internet. Well, Baekhyun is almost always joined by the hip with Chanyeol if he’s not in the room, Kyungsoo doesn’t have that many close friends, and Jongdae has time to kill. Kyungsoo’s recommendations are always tasty anyway. </p><p>Sometimes their time together can be a simpler thing, like working on homework together in the library or binge-watching movies after a tiring day on campus. It surprises Jongdae how similar their tastes are. They soon become movie buddies.</p><p>As time passes, being around Kyungsoo becomes more natural to Jongdae. A little hand brushing, head pats, back pats, a hug when celebrating little silly things, putting his arms around the shoulder, and leaning on the other. </p><p>It’s also nice to have Kyungsoo’s calming scent around. It grounds Jongdae when he worries too much. And when Kyungsoo is anxious because of the upcoming mid-term exams, usually Jongdae eases Kyungsoo and makes him laugh. Kyungsoo will feel much better afterward.</p><p>And for some reason, Kyungsoo appears more and more beautiful in Jongdae’s eyes. Sometimes he catches himself appreciating Kyungsoo’s strong eyebrows, his round eyes, and thick lips.</p><p> </p><p>阝</p><p> </p><p>“Are you and Kyungsoo together?” Both Minseok and Baekhyun have asked Jongdae this exact same question on different occasions.</p><p>It gets Jongdae flustered, for he doesn’t know the answer. “No… why, Baekhyunnie?”</p><p>Baekhyun giggles and gives Jongdae a knowing smile. “Well, because it looks like dates to me.” </p><p>Jongdae feels warmth creeping up his cheeks. </p><p>Is this what love feels like? </p><p>Jongdae thinks back of the time he has spent with Kyungsoo. They have been supporting each other and being there for one another. And he doesn't realize that he has been doing couple-y things with Kyungsoo. </p><p>He decides to ask Kyungsoo about it. "Kyungsoo-ya, you know what? Minseok-hyung and Baekhyun keep asking me if I'm together with you."</p><p>Kyungsoo blinks with his big, round eyes. "Are we not?"</p><p>Looking at Kyungsoo this cute is not good for Jongdae's heart. "...yes we are, if you want to."</p><p>And that's how Jongdae resolves his initial concern on how betas find their mates. </p><p>Maybe, love doesn’t have to be induced by ruts or heats. It can come from simple, comfortable little things like what he shares with Kyungsoo. And Jongdae doesn’t want anything else. </p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello, thank you for reading this! </p><p>The fic idea was inspired by <a href="https://twitter.com/finalfrantasy/status/1295436547567824897">this tweet</a>. We don't have many A/B/O fics centered around the betas! So I decided to try writing one ehehehe hope you like it :) </p><p>Thank you my dear friend for being my beta (reader). And thank you mods for hosting this lil' something!</p><p>And check out <a href="https://twitter.com/fourthdae/status/1308569969576247304">this pretty video</a> made by the mods for this fest and this <a href="https://twitter.com/fourthdae/status/1308082065007665152">Jongdae commentary</a> ^^</p></blockquote></div></div>
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